Deadline: 28-Feb-23
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched the Rural Business Development Grants program.
This program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses. Small means that the business has fewer than 50 new workers and less than $1 million in gross revenue.
Funding Information
- There is no maximum grant amount; however, smaller requests are given higher priority. There is no cost sharing requirement. There are two types of RBDG projects, Opportunity grants and Enterprise grants. Opportunity type grants are limited to up to 10 percent of the total Rural Business Development Grant annual funding. Enterprise type grants must be used on projects to benefit small and emerging businesses in rural areas as specified in the grant application.
How may Opportunity type funds be used?
- Community economic development.
- Technology-based economic development.
- Feasibility studies and business plans.
- Leadership and entrepreneur training.
- Rural business incubators.
- Long-term business strategic planning.
Eligible Projects
- Training and technical assistance, such as project planning, business counseling and training, market research, feasibility studies, professional or/technical reports, or producer service improvements.
- Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion, renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, access for streets and roads; parking areas and utilities.
- Pollution control and abatement.
- The capitalization of revolving loan funds, including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital.
- Rural distance learning for job training and advancement for adult students.
- Rural transportation improvement.
- Community economic development.
- Technology-based economic development.
- Feasibility studies and business plans.
- Leadership and entrepreneur training.
- Rural business incubators.
- Long-term business strategic planning.
Eligibility Criteria
Rural public entities including, but not limited to:
- Towns.
- Communities.
- State agencies.
- Authorities.
- Nonprofit corporations.
- Institutions of higher education.
- Federally-recognized tribes.
- Rural cooperatives (if organized as a private nonprofit corporation).
Evaluation Criteria
All applications are evaluated based on:
- Evidence showing job creation at local businesses.
- Percent of non-federal funding committed to the project.
- Economic need in the area to be served.
- Consistency with local economic development priorities.
- Experience of the grantee with similar efforts.
For more information, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-programs/rural-business-development-grants